You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Minnesota. Best sururbs in Minnesota. Best counties in Minnesota.
Etc., etc., etc.
But they all focus on major cities and towns in the North Star State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Minnesota based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Minnesota ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Minnesota For 2024
- Wayzata
- Deephaven
- Birchwood Village
- Oronoco
- Centerville
- Independence
- Elko New Market
- Madison Lake
- Chatfield
- Hanover
- Circle Pines
- Dellwood
- Eagle Lake
- Lonsdale
- St. Bonifacius
What’s the best small town in Minnesota? Wayzata is the best small town in Minnesota based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Wayzata, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.
But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.
For more reading on the North Star State check out:
- Best Places To Live In Minnesota
- Cheapest Places To Live In Minnesota
- Most Dangerous Cities In Minnesota
The 15 Best Small Towns In Minnesota For 2024
1. Wayzata
/10
Population: 4,365
Median Income: $118,456 (14th Best)
Median Home Value: $836,055 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.3%
2. Deephaven
/10
Population: 3,852
Median Income: $164,149 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $931,810 (2nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%
3. Birchwood Village
/10
Population: 1,069
Median Income: $148,417 (7th Best)
Median Home Value: $494,132 (16th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.7%
4. Oronoco
/10
Population: 1,696
Median Income: $153,393 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $502,241 (15th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.4%
5. Centerville
/10
Population: 3,916
Median Income: $117,481 (15th Best)
Median Home Value: $393,612 (24th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%
6. Independence
/10
Population: 3,718
Median Income: $191,736 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $700,059 (6th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%
7. Elko New Market
/10
Population: 4,850
Median Income: $149,881 (5th Best)
Median Home Value: $443,179 (19th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.8%
8. Madison Lake
/10
Population: 1,190
Median Income: $104,583 (22nd Best)
Median Home Value: $417,223 (22nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4%
9. Chatfield
/10
Population: 2,758
Median Income: $88,772 (44th Best)
Median Home Value: $322,280 (58th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.9%
10. Hanover
/10
Population: 3,454
Median Income: $145,156 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $427,311 (21st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.8%
11. Circle Pines
/10
Population: 4,996
Median Income: $97,083 (32nd Best)
Median Home Value: $292,408 (82nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.8%
12. Dellwood
/10
Population: 1,228
Median Income: $216,000 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $857,609 (3rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.5%
13. Eagle Lake
/10
Population: 3,229
Median Income: $87,130 (47th Best)
Median Home Value: $303,592 (73rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%
14. Lonsdale
/10
Population: 4,727
Median Income: $95,265 (35th Best)
Median Home Value: $350,578 (44th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.9%
15. St. Bonifacius
/10
Population: 1,956
Median Income: $101,319 (25th Best)
Median Home Value: $347,921 (46th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3%
Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Minnesota
We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Minnesota possible.
Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 212 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 212, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Minnesota. Top of that list — Wayzata.
This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Minnesota.
Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Minnesota are the best in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
The best small towns in Minnesota are Wayzata, Deephaven, Birchwood Village, Oronoco, Centerville, Independence, Elko New Market, Madison Lake, Chatfield, and Hanover.
If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Minnesota:
- Little Rock
- Redby
- Keewatin
For more Minnesota reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Minnesota
- Safest Places In Minnesota
- Worst Places To Live In Minnesota
Best Small Towns In Minnesota
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Value | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayzata, MN | 4,365 | $118,456 | 1.3% | |
| 2 | Deephaven, MN | 3,852 | $164,149 | 1.4% | |
| 3 | Birchwood Village, MN | 1,069 | $148,417 | 1.7% | |
| 4 | Oronoco, MN | 1,696 | $153,393 | 0.4% | |
| 5 | Centerville, MN | 3,916 | $117,481 | 0.6% | |
| 6 | Independence, MN | 3,718 | $191,736 | 0.0% | |
| 7 | Elko New Market, MN | 4,850 | $149,881 | 0.8% | |
| 8 | Madison Lake, MN | 1,190 | $104,583 | 2.4% | |
| 9 | Chatfield, MN | 2,758 | $88,772 | 1.9% | |
| 10 | Hanover, MN | 3,454 | $145,156 | 0.8% | |
| 11 | Circle Pines, MN | 4,996 | $97,083 | 3.8% | |
| 12 | Dellwood, MN | 1,228 | $216,000 | 2.5% | |
| 13 | Eagle Lake, MN | 3,229 | $87,130 | 3.4% | |
| 14 | Lonsdale, MN | 4,727 | $95,265 | 0.9% | |
| 15 | St. Bonifacius, MN | 1,956 | $101,319 | 3.3% | |
| 16 | Grant, MN | 3,969 | $136,579 | 0.8% | |
| 17 | Bayport, MN | 3,902 | $105,114 | 2.4% | |
| 18 | Watertown, MN | 4,712 | $101,667 | 0.0% | |
| 19 | Greenfield, MN | 2,909 | $142,214 | 0.8% | |
| 20 | Tonka Bay, MN | 1,462 | $141,875 | 7.6% | |
| 21 | Mayer, MN | 2,460 | $114,504 | 2.3% | |
| 22 | Excelsior, MN | 2,257 | $92,148 | 1.0% | |
| 23 | St. Charles, MN | 3,979 | $91,326 | 2.5% | |
| 24 | Eyota, MN | 2,090 | $81,103 | 1.8% | |
| 25 | Proctor, MN | 3,113 | $80,385 | 2.4% | |
| 26 | Lauderdale, MN | 2,454 | $73,931 | 10.7% | |
| 27 | Esko, MN | 2,172 | $100,227 | 1.0% | |
| 28 | Afton, MN | 2,951 | $124,159 | 2.3% | |
| 29 | Lakeland, MN | 1,637 | $96,176 | 4.8% | |
| 30 | Scandia, MN | 3,965 | $97,159 | 1.1% | |
| 31 | Lake St. Croix Beach, MN | 1,106 | $95,313 | 1.4% | |
| 32 | Pine Island, MN | 3,831 | $85,500 | 2.3% | |
| 33 | Lake Shore, MN | 1,166 | $100,000 | 2.2% | |
| 34 | Goodview, MN | 4,109 | $66,065 | 4.5% | |
| 35 | Albany, MN | 2,795 | $78,977 | 0.7% | |
| 36 | Luverne, MN | 4,910 | $66,394 | 2.2% | |
| 37 | East Gull Lake, MN | 1,027 | $109,750 | 2.9% | |
| 38 | Barnesville, MN | 2,773 | $68,750 | 1.3% | |
| 39 | Rice, MN | 1,900 | $100,208 | 2.3% | |
| 40 | Richmond, MN | 1,329 | $64,865 | 1.4% | |
| 41 | Janesville, MN | 2,455 | $71,053 | 3.4% | |
| 42 | Oak Park Heights, MN | 4,790 | $77,132 | 3.0% | |
| 43 | Lindstrom, MN | 4,891 | $98,456 | 2.8% | |
| 44 | Avon, MN | 1,410 | $87,961 | 2.7% | |
| 45 | St. Augusta, MN | 3,520 | $120,526 | 3.6% | |
| 46 | Spring Park, MN | 1,919 | $48,684 | 3.5% | |
| 47 | Cologne, MN | 2,086 | $114,375 | 4.0% | |
| 48 | Spicer, MN | 1,190 | $68,571 | 1.9% | |
| 49 | Lester Prairie, MN | 1,918 | $81,597 | 0.7% | |
| 50 | Grand Marais, MN | 1,768 | $68,640 | 1.4% | |
| 51 | Rockville, MN | 2,271 | $86,641 | 1.1% | |
| 52 | Medford, MN | 1,258 | $98,036 | 4.8% | |
| 53 | Nisswa, MN | 1,733 | $94,650 | 1.0% | |
| 54 | Cold Spring, MN | 4,180 | $71,609 | 3.5% | |
| 55 | Long Lake, MN | 1,712 | $83,750 | 6.0% | |
| 56 | Dilworth, MN | 4,621 | $84,602 | 1.1% | |
| 57 | Elgin, MN | 1,117 | $75,417 | 4.3% | |
| 58 | Nowthen, MN | 4,518 | $149,297 | 2.9% | |
| 59 | Edgerton, MN | 1,256 | $69,464 | 0.0% | |
| 60 | Lewiston, MN | 1,768 | $89,219 | 3.6% | |
| 61 | Columbus, MN | 4,180 | $103,906 | 2.1% | |
| 62 | Cannon Falls, MN | 4,214 | $76,442 | 1.6% | |
| 63 | Cottonwood, MN | 1,150 | $79,457 | 3.3% | |
| 64 | Lake Crystal, MN | 2,535 | $74,316 | 3.7% | |
| 65 | Crosslake, MN | 2,457 | $81,538 | 2.4% | |
| 66 | Baudette, MN | 1,129 | $63,843 | 0.0% | |
| 67 | New London, MN | 1,193 | $67,105 | 1.1% | |
| 68 | Dundas, MN | 1,716 | $113,125 | 12.1% | |
| 69 | Becker, MN | 4,897 | $87,432 | 0.6% | |
| 70 | Maple Plain, MN | 1,780 | $77,813 | 2.9% | |
| 71 | Hawley, MN | 2,065 | $86,667 | 1.4% | |
| 72 | Zumbrota, MN | 3,777 | $72,061 | 2.8% | |
| 73 | Adrian, MN | 1,209 | $69,450 | 1.5% | |
| 74 | Rockford, MN | 4,638 | $76,181 | 3.1% | |
| 75 | Blooming Prairie, MN | 2,110 | $61,458 | 2.3% | |
| 76 | Lakefield, MN | 1,626 | $58,977 | 0.4% | |
| 77 | Hayfield, MN | 1,416 | $68,125 | 2.3% | |
| 78 | Minneota, MN | 1,420 | $65,500 | 2.2% | |
| 79 | Springfield, MN | 2,090 | $61,411 | 2.2% | |
| 80 | Sleepy Eye, MN | 3,452 | $63,163 | 4.2% | |
| 81 | Osseo, MN | 2,634 | $65,463 | 6.4% | |
| 82 | Howard Lake, MN | 1,852 | $85,677 | 2.0% | |
| 83 | Cohasset, MN | 2,683 | $76,989 | 10.2% | |
| 84 | Dawson, MN | 1,369 | $67,540 | 4.6% | |
| 85 | Scanlon, MN | 1,047 | $73,125 | 8.4% | |
| 86 | Waverly, MN | 1,803 | $108,731 | 0.4% | |
| 87 | Fulda, MN | 1,377 | $69,583 | 1.4% | |
| 88 | Breezy Point, MN | 2,605 | $83,856 | 4.1% | |
| 89 | Bird Island, MN | 1,055 | $67,794 | 1.9% | |
| 90 | Madison, MN | 1,566 | $49,063 | 0.6% | |
| 91 | Pequot Lakes, MN | 2,135 | $73,125 | 8.3% | |
| 92 | Benson, MN | 3,453 | $50,435 | 2.5% | |
| 93 | Paynesville, MN | 2,432 | $67,768 | 3.0% | |
| 94 | Osakis, MN | 1,706 | $51,477 | 1.4% | |
| 95 | Dodge Center, MN | 2,831 | $76,058 | 3.9% | |
| 96 | Wanamingo, MN | 1,189 | $78,375 | 2.2% | |
| 97 | Mapleton, MN | 1,674 | $77,768 | 4.3% | |
| 98 | Rushford, MN | 1,816 | $70,543 | 3.6% | |
| 99 | Maple Lake, MN | 2,260 | $69,702 | 2.7% | |
| 100 | Atwater, MN | 1,210 | $65,000 | 8.6% |